Mothers and Parental Leave in Belgium: Social Inequalities in Eligibility and Uptake

In recent decades, many Western European countries introduced parental leave policies to support the work–family combination in families with young children. However, these schemes often exhibit employment?based eligibility criteria, so question arises which extent social inequalities emerge access leave, and as a result thereof also uptake of leave. Although research on increasingly addresses issue inclusiveness, only limited number studies has yet examined individual?level differentials parents’, especially mothers’, eligibility. Using detailed register data, we develop an indicator Belgium deploy it document differentiation mothers’ by age at first birth, partnership status, migration background education. addition, examine what differential can explain uptake. Our results show that considerable share mothers—specifically very young, single, low educated mothers background—do not meet criteria thus are structurally excluded from Belgium. Furthermore, account for large part educational gradients use, well differences background. Eligibility cannot (fully) lower use single Moroccan or Turkish findings suggest reconsideration may be instrumental increasing inclusiveness policies.